Starmer calls for deadline on Ukraine peace talks to stop Putin’s ‘games’

Vladimir Putin must be given a deadline to make progress on a Ukraine ceasefire, Sir Keir Starmer said as European allies stepped up plans to deploy troops to secure any peace deal.

The Prime Minister said the Russian president was “playing games” and attempting to drag the Donald Trump-initiated process out to allow his forces time to continue their assaults on Ukraine.

Following talks in Paris, Sir Keir said top brass from the UK, France and Germany would head to Ukraine for talks with Kyiv’s military chiefs to discuss plans for a force to deter Mr Putin from attacking again if there is a deal to bring the war to an end.

Sanctions

And the so-called “coalition of the willing” meeting in Paris had agreed there should be no easing of sanctions against Russia.

The Prime Minister said the allies had agreed “we should be setting a framework and a deadline of delivering real progress, and that we should hold them to that deadline”.

He said: “We’ve agreed that we must go further now to support the peace process, support Ukraine and increase the pressure on Russia to get serious.”